Rotary steam-engine



A.v D.-. MINIER.

. ROTARY STEAM BNGlNB. k

No. 392,356. Patented Nov. 6,1888.

Partnr Search.

ABRAM DANIEL MINIER, OF MILAN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.392,356, dated November 6, 1888.

Application tiled March 24, 1888. Serial No.268.3$l5. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAM DANIEL Mr- NIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milan, in the county of Bradford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in RotarySteam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

lWIy invention relates to an improvement in rotary steamengines; and itconsists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices thatwill be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of arotarysteamengine embodying my improvements with one of thecylinder-heads removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the interior ofthe case or cylinder of theengine, the drum or piston and one oftheheads being removed therefrom. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the pistonand its radial win gs. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views.

A represents the cylinder or case of the engine, which isprovided withthe removable heads B. In the lower side of the cylinder is an abutment,C, the inner side of which is concentric with the cylinder, andvextending from opposite sides of the abutment are two pairs of curvedguides or shoulders, D. On opposite sides of the abutment are openingsE,

- which are made th rough the bottom of the cylinder, and arranged atsuitable distances beyond said openings E are similar openings, F.

G represents a vertical longitudinal slot which is made in the bottom ofthe cylinder on one side of and between the openings E, and ou the innerside of the cylinder and ar ranged under the abutment is a guide-plate,H, having openings E and F', which registe with the openingsE F.

I represents a cutoff plate, which is arranged between the guide-plate Hand the opposing side of the cylinder, and said guideplate is providedwith a projecting stud, K, that works in the slot G and has openings Lat a suitable distance apart, which openings are adapted to alternatelyregister with the openings E and F', so as to close one of the openingsE and open its companion opening F and open the other opening E andlclose its' companion opening F.

The heads of the cylinder are provided lon their inner sides withconcentric grooves M, and said cylinder-heads are further provided withsegmental curved grooves N, which form 5 5 offsets or extensions of theconcentric grooves M and communicate with short segmental grooves O,which are concentric with the central openings in the cylinder-heads andwith curved grooves P, which extend from the ends 6o of the grooves Oand are concentric with the guide-shoulders D. Cams R are thus formedbetween the lower sides of the grooves M and the grooves P and O, theends of said cams projecting across the grooves M, and therebylengthening the lower sides of the cam-grooves P, as at S.

T represents a circular piston, which is arranged in the central portionof the cylinder Iand concentrically therewith, and is provided 7o onopposite sides at its perimeter,with annular tongues or ianges U, whichwork in the circular grooves M. The said flanges or tongues are made ofzinc or other comparatively soft material, and are adapted to formtightjoint-s with the grooves M and reduce friction between the sides ofthe piston and the heads of the cylinder. One side of the face orperiphery of the piston bears against the concave inner face of theabutment C. The said piston 8o has trunnions orspindles V,which projectfrom opposite sides thereof at its center and are journaled in thecentral opening ofthe cylinder-heads, and, if necessary, will beprovided with packing-boxes to prevent steam from S 5 leaking around thespindles or trunnions.

In practice the spindles or trunnions will be formed by the shaftpassing through the center of the piston and keyed thereto. The pistonis divided at suitable distances apart with 9o a series of radialtransverse open slots,W, the ends of which are beveled outward inopposite directions through nearly their entire depth, as shown. Inthese slots are fitted radially-movable wings X, each of which is formedof two sections, a b, the said sections being connected together by atougueandgroove joint, c. On opposite edges of the said radial wings andprojecting in opposite directions from the same are beveled flanges Z,roo which engage the beveled ends of the slots W.

Y represents pins,which extend transversely through openings intheradial wings, and have their ends projecting beyond the sides of thepiston and engaging ille grooves N, O, and l?, as shown.

rlhe operation of my invention is as follows: By reason of the pinswhich extend through the radial wings being in engagement with thecam-slots of the cylinderheads said radial wings are at all times movedoutward and caused to bear against the inner side of the cylinder. theports F and exhausted through one ofthe ports E on the opposite side ofthe abutment. As the steam presses against each of the radial wings insuccession, it forces the piston in a circular direction in thecylindrical ease, and as the pin or bolt of each wing travels in thesegmental grooves 2S', which are concentric with the cylinder, the saidradial wings are kept in contact with the sides ofthe cylinder, asbefore slated, and prevent the steam from leaking. each radial wing insuccession comes in contact with the curved guides D its operating pinor bolt engages one of the curved grooves l. and

the said radial wing moves inward toward the conter of the piston as itslides over the said guides, thereby permitting the steam behind it toexhaust through the exhaust-opening E. The radial wing as it passes overthe abutment C is momentarily relieved of steam-pressure; but as soon asit clears the curved side and the opposite side of the abutment it isagain subjected to the action of the live steam, thereby continuing therotary motion of the piston. By sliding the cut-off slide in theopposite direction from that indicated in the drawings the arrangementof the steam-ports will be reversed,so that steam will lbe admitted fromthe opposite side of the abutment and exhausted from the other sidethereof, thereby causing the piston to rotate in a reverse directionfrom that indicated by the arrow. By reason of the radial wings beingmade in separable Steam is admitted through one of At the instant thatthc outer end of sections connected by the iougue-andgroove jointprovided with the 'flanges Z the steam is adapted to spread the saidradial wings laterally so as to cause them to bear snugly against theopposing sides of the cylinderheads, and thereby effect steam-tightjoints therewith and prevent leakageand back-pressure of the steam. I

ly providing the guides l) the strain on the pins Y is relieved as thewings are drawn inward, so that the liability of the said pins beingbentor broken is reduced to a minimum. and by providing curved guide andcut-off plates under the abutment C, I not only produce a very simpleand compact arrangement of parts, but also leave the interior of thecylinder unobstructed for the play of the steam.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- Aln a rotary engine, thecombination, willi the cylinder having cam-grooves in its heads, theabutment C, the curved guides l), extending in pairs from opposite sidesof the abutment and arranged coneentrically with the cam-grooves, aninlet-opening, Rand an outlet-opening, E, on each side of the abutmentand between the guides, and a circumferential slot, G, under theabutment, of the guideplate lLsecnrcd to the inner side of the cylinder,passing under the abutment, and provided with openings E F', registeringwith the openings E F, the cutoff plate l, arranged under theguide-plate and provided with openings L, a stud, K, projecting from thecut-off plate through the slot G, and the piston moving over theabutment, as specitied.

ln testimony that lclaim the foregoing as my own l have hereto affixedmy signature in presence ol' two witnesses.

AURAM DANIEL RUNNER.

\\`itnesses:

REULBEN Tiumsfw, S. A. l'lrxus.

